Anyone living in the West Branch School District will be eligible for a West Branch Public Library card. Any patron of a participating Open Access library in the State of Iowa may also make use of the West Branch Public Library collection. Service to eligible patrons will not be denied or abridged because of religious, social, racial, or political affiliation, or because of the age, sex, or physical capability of the patron.

Registration

To obtain a local library card, a prospective patron must complete a registration card, and provide proof of ID and local residence. The library staff reserves the right to refuse service to those without adequate identification. Children under the age of 14 must have a parent or legal guardian sign the registration card.

Materials Check Out

A patron must provide a valid library card number or patron name which can be cross-referenced with library records. Only persons listed on the account will be allowed to check out. The patron assumes the responsibility for the care and return of library materials in accord with established policies. At the discretion of the library staff, a patron may be refused additional materials if it is known that they have not returned overdue items or have an outstanding fine balance of more than $6.00.

Loan Periods

All loans may be renewed for additional periods unless a Reserved Checkout List exists for a given item.  The library reserves the right to require an item to be physically present in the library for renewals.  All items may be renewed by telephone or email unless required in the library.  Special arrangements may be made with local school faculty or administration to permit longer term use of specified library materials for support of educational program.

Loan Limitations

• Books: 25 items may be loaned for a three week period.
• Electronic Reader Devices: 1 item may be loaned for a three week period – patron must be age 14 or older.
• Newspapers: May be checked out for two days, except current issue.
• Audio books: Five items may be loaned for a three week period.
• Magazines: Five items may be loaned for a three week period.
• Pamphlets: Five items may be loaned for a three week period.
• Interlibrary Loans: Limit of two requests per patron per visit.
• Videos and DVDs: Five items may be loaned for a ONE week period.
• Video Games: Two items may be loaned for a ONE week period.
• Music CDs: Five items may be loaned for a ONE week period.
• Reference Materials: MAY NOT BE LOANED. Staff will offer to photocopy up to six pages free of charge.

Collection Access

In accord with the American Library Association interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (June 30, 1972) the West Branch Public Library shall afford minors access to all collections.

Overdue Items and Lost Items

Fines are an incentive to bring materials back in a timely manner so others can have access to these materials.   Failure to return items is considered theft of city property per the code of Iowa, Chapter 714.5, Theft of Library materials and equipment.  Items which have not been returned for two months or of whom the mailing address is found to be invalid with no further contact information may be turned over to a third-party to attempt return of the items or monetary equivalence.   The library assesses fines equally. Failure to pay fines may result in refusal of library services. All fines begin the day after the due date. Fines may also include postage and telephone costs when these charges exceed routine limits for patron notification.

Overdue Charges

·         Videos, DVD's, and video games will be assessed a $1.00 per day, per item overdue fine with a maximum fine of $10.00 per video if returned.

·         Music CDs will be assessed a 25¢ per day overdue fine with a maximum fine of $10.00 per CD.

·         All other materials shall be assessed a 10¢ per day overdue fine with a maximum fine of $4.00 if returned.

·         Overdue items returned on accounts given to a third party agency for collection services will be assessed 10% of the value of the overdue items given to the agency.

Overdue Notification: Patrons will be notified by telephone or mail within one month of the due date that materials are overdue. Notification of overdue videos will be made by phone the week following the due date. In the event a patron fails to respond to overdue notification made via mail or telephone within a reasonable amount of time, the director may choose to consider the overdue item stolen and proceed with the matter as specified by the Code of Iowa Chapter 714.5.  Lost or Destroyed Item Charge: The patron of record will be billed for the current replacement cost of the item.  If the item is not available for purchase through normal library options, the charge may be estimated by the librarian, based upon the average cost of a current item similar to the one lost, or based upon the value of the lost item to the collection.

Revised 08/11
Revised 06/11
Revised 12/10
Revised 11/10
Revised 09/08
Revised 09/05